Spain 'suspends lower house of parliament' after far-right MP tests positive for coronavirus
Spain's lower house of parliament was reportedly suspended on Tuesday after an MP from the far-right Vox party tested positive for the coronavirus.
Javier Ortega Smith, the secretary general of the far right party Vox is among those who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Spain two days after he attended a crowded rally in Madrid, the party confirmed on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Ortega attended Vox’s annual rally with thousands of supporters held in Vistalegre where he greeted dozens of party supporters with hugs and kisses, according to footage distributed by the party.
In a statement tweeted by Vox leader Santiago Abascal, the party apologised for holding the event, a move which it admitted now was “a mistake”.
?COMUNICADO URGENTE?
Perdón. Responsabilidades. Medidas. pic.twitter.com/zW0GLlSCq2
— Santiago Abascal (@Santi_ABASCAL) March 10, 2020
“We understood that it would have been irresponsible to generate panic by suspending a public event while the rest of the country continued to operate as normal,” read the statement.
“That was a mistake for which we apologize,” it continued before laying the blame at the door of the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for not calling off public demonstrations held across Spain for International Woman’s Day on March 8th.
Somos la Alternativa al gobierno de España?? #Laalternativa #VistaAlegre #PorEspaña pic.twitter.com/5eX71E71hV
— Javier Ortega Smith (@Ortega_Smith) March 9, 2020
“We trusted that this government would at least put the health of Spaniards ahead of its propaganda agenda,” the statement continued.
Ortega is the first of Spain’s lawmakers to be diagnosed with the virus which has so far struck more than 1.200 people and caused at least 30 deaths.
Vox said that they would now insist that all its 52 MPs would be working from home.
READ MORE:
Comments
See Also
Javier Ortega Smith, the secretary general of the far right party Vox is among those who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Spain two days after he attended a crowded rally in Madrid, the party confirmed on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Ortega attended Vox’s annual rally with thousands of supporters held in Vistalegre where he greeted dozens of party supporters with hugs and kisses, according to footage distributed by the party.
In a statement tweeted by Vox leader Santiago Abascal, the party apologised for holding the event, a move which it admitted now was “a mistake”.
?COMUNICADO URGENTE?
— Santiago Abascal (@Santi_ABASCAL) March 10, 2020
Perdón. Responsabilidades. Medidas. pic.twitter.com/zW0GLlSCq2
“We understood that it would have been irresponsible to generate panic by suspending a public event while the rest of the country continued to operate as normal,” read the statement.
“That was a mistake for which we apologize,” it continued before laying the blame at the door of the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for not calling off public demonstrations held across Spain for International Woman’s Day on March 8th.
Somos la Alternativa al gobierno de España?? #Laalternativa #VistaAlegre #PorEspaña pic.twitter.com/5eX71E71hV
— Javier Ortega Smith (@Ortega_Smith) March 9, 2020
“We trusted that this government would at least put the health of Spaniards ahead of its propaganda agenda,” the statement continued.
Ortega is the first of Spain’s lawmakers to be diagnosed with the virus which has so far struck more than 1.200 people and caused at least 30 deaths.
Vox said that they would now insist that all its 52 MPs would be working from home.
READ MORE:
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.